Mattingly -- Pumped About the Dodgers, Except for ...
Soon-to-be Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly claims he's "pumped up" for next season -- but admits there's one personnel issue he's "sad" about ... involving the player he went to dinner with last night.
Mattingly rolled through BOA in West Hollywood with Dodgers backup catcher Brad Ausmus ... and harped about how heartbroken he is that Ausmus is leaving the team next year.
The big question is -- think the Dodgers have a realistic shot at the pennant with Donnie Baseball at the helm?!
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NFL Star -- My Landlord Is Sofa King Out of Line
Ex-Carolina Panthers RB DeShaun Foster allegedly owes $10,000 in rent for a swanky Hollywood apartment -- but Foster's rep tells TMZ, there wouldn't be a problem if the place had furniture in it.
According to legal docs filed earlier this week in L.A. Superior Court -- and obtained by TMZ -- Foster's landlord claims the former Panther signed a $10,000-a-month lease for an apartment in the Hollywood Hills ... but hasn't even paid his first month's rent.
According to Foster's rep, the ex-NFL player agreed to the lease on one condition -- that the apartment would be fully furnished upon his arrival ... and it wasn't.
So-fa ... not so good.
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Shannon Sharpe Accuser: We Dated for Years ...
The woman who took out -- and quickly dropped -- a restraining order against former Denver Broncos star Shannon Sharpe tells TMZ that she's been in an "intimate relationship" with him since 2002.
TMZ spoke to Michele Bundy ... who says she decided to drop the temporary order of protection against Sharpe out of "fear of retribution" ... adding that she and her child "felt our lives were in more danger with [the restraining order] in [place]."
As we previously reported, Bundy told cops that Sharpe "forced [her] to have sex with him" and threatened her life earlier this month. However, officials in Fulton County, Georgia tell us Sharpe was not arrested and is not being investigated.
Sharpe has adamantly denied the allegations. Calls to Sharpe's rep have not been returned.
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Former WWF Wrestler X-Pac Busted for Weed
Former TNA, WCW and WWF wrestler X-Pac was arrested in New Jersey for allegedly trying to sneak THC onto an airplane ... this according to his rep.
A rep for Pac -- real name Sean Waltman -- tells TMZ the arrest for possession of marijuana went down last Sunday at Newark International Airport ... and it wasn't the only bad thing that happened to him that weekend.
Waltman's rep says the wrestler got robbed the night before at a party -- so he showed up at the airport the next day without ID.
We're told the ID-less Waltman had to go through an "extensive search" -- which allegedly turned up one joint.
According to the rep, Waltman was released from custody Sunday night.
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hit with 8 Charges
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has officially been charged with felony counts of coercion, robbery and grand larceny -- as well as four misdemeanors -- for the alleged domestic incident with his baby mama in Las Vegas.
According to the Clark County District Attorney the misdemeanors are battery, and three counts of harassment.
As we first reported, Josie Harris claims the boxer beat her, threatened to kill her, and stole her cell phone during the alleged incident on September 9.
The coercion and harassment counts include alleged threats Mayweather made against his sons. According to the docs, the boxer threatened to beat his kids' asses if they "called 911 and/or left the residence."
If convicted of all charges, Floyd could spend up to 28 years behind bars.
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Dwight Howard -- My Baby Mama Owes Me $500 Million
NBA star Dwight Howard claims he's sick of his baby mama bashing him to the media -- a violation of their court settlement -- and now dude wants at least $500,500,000 to make things right.
TMZ has obtained legal docs filed by the Orlando Magic star in Orange County, Florida, in which he claims his baby mama Royce Reed -- who stars on VH1's "Basketball Wives" -- leaked dirt about him to the media at least 11 times ... thus violating a 2009 gag order.
In the docs, Howard explains that if the leaked stories reached 1,000,000 people -- a safe estimate given that the stories were posted all over the Internet -- the damages should add up to $500,500,000 based on the terms of their previous agreement.
A rep for Reed denies any wrongdoing -- telling TMZ the leaked info originated from legal documents ... which is "immune to any agreement made by the parties."
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Shannon Sharpe Restraining Order -- Dismissed
TMZ has learned ... officials in Fulton County, Georgia have just dismissed a restraining order against former NFL superstar Shannon Sharpe ... who is accused of raping and stalking a woman.
As you may have heard, a woman named Michele Bundy was granted a temporary protective order against the former Denver Broncos tight end after telling police that Sharpe "forced [her] to have sex with him" and threatened her life earlier this month.
But we're told ... Sharpe just received the dismissal notice from the Fulton County Sheriff's Office just moments ago.
In the wake of the allegations, Sharpe had decided to take a leave of absence from his job as an analyst for CBS' "NFL Today". No word on when he plans to return.
Sharpe has not been arrested nor charged with a crime -- and officials in Fulton County tell us there is no investigation at this time.
Story developing ...
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TMZ Live: O.J., Oksana, and Leo DiCaprio
We took your questions on everything -- including our exclusive O.J. Simpson documentary footage, Oksana Grigorieva firing more lawyers, and Leonardo DiCaprio's new exotic pet.
Plus: Michael Jackson's cemetery charging 3 bucks to leave gifts.
Reggie Bush -- I'm Forfeiting My Heisman Trophy
Reggie Bush is gonna have a lot of free space on his mantle -- because the disgraced former USC running back says he's decided to "forfeit" his 2005 Heisman Trophy.
Bush just released a statement through the New Orleans Saints in which he explains, "Each individual carries the legacy of the award and each one is entrusted with its good name ... It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005."
Bush added, "The persistent media speculation regarding allegations dating back to my years at USC has been both painful and distracting. In no way should the storm around these allegations reflect in any way on the dignity of this award, nor on any other institutions or individuals. Nor should it distract from outstanding performances and hard-earned achievements either in the past, present or future."
Just a few days ago, Reggie clamped up when we asked him about the Heisman controversy in New York.
FYI -- Bush is the first player to ever return the award.
Reggie's decision comes in the wake of a report that the Heisman committee was going to strip him of the title in the near future.
UPDATE: Bush is already addressing the issue on his Twitter page -- saying, "Now that this is behind me I look forward to the future and winning more awards and championships here in New Orleans! Who Dat!"
Story developing ...
TMZ Live: J.Lo, Fishburne, and Reggie Bush
We took your questions today on everything -- including Jennifer Lopez signing on with "American Idol", George Michael sentenced to 8 weeks in jail, and Montana Fishburne trying to get her life back together.
Plus: Reggie Bush forfeits his Heisman Trophy.
NBA Player: I'm Not Dating Mayweather's Baby Mama!
Chicago Bulls point guard C.J. Watson wants to make one thing perfectly clear -- he has never ... nor will he ever ... date Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s baby mama ... despite what she told police.
As TMZ first reported, Josie Harris told Las Vegas cops that before Mayweather Jr. allegedly attacked her last week ... he demanded to know if Harris was dating Watson ... and she responded, "'Yes, that is who I'm seeing now.'"
But multiple sources close to C.J. -- including his father Charles Watson -- tell TMZ that the NBA player is only in a relationship with his longtime girlfriend Danielle -- with whom he has a child.
C.J.'s dad -- who says he talks to C.J. every day -- also tells us, "I know for sure that Josie is not his girlfriend ... she did some event planning for C.J., but other than that, they have no relationship whatsoever."
Charles adds, "C.J. would never do anything like that to Mayweather [Jr.] ... he doesn't need that."
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Chad Ochocinco Takes Patriots Fan to Dinner
Chad Ochocinco didn't hold a grudge against Patriots fans this week just because Cincinnati played New England -- in fact, Chad singled out one Pats season ticket holder and bought the guy the dinner of his life.
The lucky fan is a dude named Will Ditullo -- a die-hard Pats supporter who built a friendship with Ochocinco through Chad's iPhone app.
After learning that Will recently lost his mother to diabetes ... Ochocinco made an effort to connect with the guy in Boston before the game.
We're told the two met up at a fancy restaurant near the Bengals' hotel in Boston -- and Will had the "night of his life" ... in which the two talked about everything from sports to how he coped with his mother's death.
Of course Chad picked up the bill -- but you can't really put a price on a night like that.
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Bears QB -- Celebrates Win with 'Hills' Hottie
Just hours after NFL refs ripped a victory away from the Detroit Lions and gave it to the Chicago Bears ... winning quarterback Jay Cutler got on a plane to NY for a Monday lunch date with Kristin Cavallari.
Cutler -- who's rumored to be dating the former "Hills" star -- will travel to Dallas next week to play the Cowboys ... a team that knows all too well what happens when a star quarterback hooks up with a Hollywood starlet.
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Jay Mariotti -- Accused of Stealing GF's Purse
Famed sportswriter and ESPN personality Jay Mariotti has been charged for an alleged attack on his GF last month ... and now we've learned he may have stolen her purse.
As we previously reported, Mariotti -- a frequent guest on ESPN's "Around the Horn" -- was arrested on August 21 after allegedly roughing up his girlfriend following a spat at a Santa Monica nightclub.
Now, the L.A. City Attorney has charged Mariotti with 7 misdemeanors ... including 4 domestic violence charges, false imprisonment, vandalism and grand theft.
We're told Mariotti is accused of taking his girlfriend's purse and keys -- and the purse is valued at more than $400.
If convicted on all charges -- Mariotti could spend more than a year behind bars.
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NBA Player Allegedly Triggered Mayweather Violence
Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in a fit of jealousy over a basketball player when he allegedly attacked his baby mama, Josie Harris and threatened to kill the pair ... this according to the police report obtained by TMZ.
According to the report, Mayweather read text messages on Josie's phone ... which included messages from C.J. Watson (pictured below), who plays for the Chicago Bulls. According to the report, Mayweather screamed, "'Are you having sex with C.J.?' Harris replied, 'Yes, that is who I'm seeing now.'"
According to the report, the 10-year-old son of Mayweather and Harris told cops he "saw his dad was on his mother and was hitting and kicking her."
According to the report, "Harris stated that Mayweather began yelling at Harris, 'I'm going to kill you and the man your (sic) are messing around with.' He also stated, 'I'm going to have you both disappear.'"
The police report says Harris was taken to Southern Hills Hospital and treated for "minor facial injuries and a sore left arm." Pictures of the injuries were taken.
The police report goes on to say while Harris was at the hospital Mayweather called Georgia Parker -- Harris' friend who lives in the house -- and told her to get out of the house.
As for why Mayweather was arrested for grand larceny Friday ... the police report says he left with her Apple iPhone 4 ... valued at $322.17.
As we first reported, Josie Harris called the policeat around 5 AM Thursday from her home in Vegas -- and when copsarrived she told them the professional boxer had attacked her andthreatened to kill her.
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TMZ Live: Mayweather, Oksana, and Britney
We took your questions on everything -- including an NBA player's connection to the Floyd Mayweather Jr. domestic incident, Playboy model Karissa Shannon unleashing her lawyers on Vivid to block the release of her sex tape, and Oksana Grigorieva still lawyer shopping.
Plus: Britney Spears' ex-friend Sam Lutfi accused of psychotic stalking.